National Festival of Instrument Typology/ Artistic groups from all over Albania, part of the 13th edition

2024-10-02 15:08:00, Qyteti im CNA

National Festival of Instrument Typology/ Artistic groups from all over Albania,

18 artistic groups from all over Albania have joined in the 13th edition of the National Festival of Instrument Typology, organized in Leskovik and the city of Erseka. About 150 artists have performed various folk dances highlighting the special tradition of all areas of our country, creating a beautiful atmosphere for the Cologne public.

For three consecutive nights, musical groups brought to the squares of Leskovik and Erseka the colors of folk music through traditional instruments authentically preserved as precious spiritual heritage.

For Niko Kotheren, the director of the National Center of Traditional Activities, this festival in this edition has a large participation of young people. Kotherja shows that they were able to bring this festival to Leskovil, which is known as the cradle of the formation of this folkloric typology, while alongside the well-known pieces, new creations have also been brought.

"In this edition, which is the 13th, there is a large participation of young people as instrumentalists, part of the saz formation that performed at this festival. 18 groups participated in this edition, and performed for three nights in the main squares of Leskovik and Erseke. We managed to bring the festival to Leskovik, which is the birthplace of this extraordinary folklore. In addition to the well-known pieces, the groups also brought new creations, based on the folk dance by three outstanding personalities and loved by the public."

Master Fatos Qerimaj, part of the jury, appreciated the contribution of artists who have preserved and passed down popular music through the generations. Qerimaj says that these artists have an extraordinary contribution and considers them missionaries for the preservation of this music.

"All this constellation of artists have historically coherently preserved our tradition quite beautifully and wonderfully. These artists have made a tremendous contribution and are missionaries for the preservation of this music. We have followed 150 artists and seen how this tradition has been preserved."

The young artists also became part of the festival, who are following and continuing the mission in the footsteps of the great masters of popular music. Xildo Sula is one of them, who has learned the clarinet instrument from these masters, while emphasizing among other things that these festivals should bring more young people together.

"I am lucky that I have studied the instrument from great masters of the clarinet such as Zhani Struga, Aleks Xhelili, Fatos Qerimi and I grew up next to these great names of the clarinet instrument. These festivals definitely honor them but there must be a policy closer by the competent bodies to bring as many young people as possible. I think there is still more to bring."

In addition to the pieces with instruments, the audience enthusiastically followed the dances brought by the old and young dancers. In their performance, the group of Dumre dancers have shown the tradition of this area and of Elbasan while showing that dances should be inherited from generation to generation.

"We represent the Dumre of the Elbasan prefecture, we bring the morning dances, the thief and many others. We participated with our group in the Gjirokastra festival, but also in Bulgaria and Poland. The dance is needed, we lack heirs. We try to pass on the dance popular generation after generation teaching you young people."

After three nights of organizing the National Festival of Saz Typology, prizes were awarded by the jury, among them, the group of Sazs from Korça was awarded two prizes, that of "Best Kaba" and "Selim Leskoviku"./ CNA